Harm Reduction: Public Health Strategies

The war on drugs has done little to curb drug use. Accidental drug overdose is the second-leading cause of injury-related deaths for young people. Enter harm reduction, a philosophy that accepts the idea that drug use is inevitable and that making it safer is a more realistic approach. But is harm reduction merely enabling dangerous and potentially deadly behavior? Does distributing clean needles to drug addicts send the wrong message? Is abstinence the only way to stop people from engaging in risky behavior? Experts on several sides of the debate offer perspectives on this fascinating issue.